Crate for shipping bananas



(NoIMoliel.) Y

0. ANDREWS.

,-GRATE'FOR SHIPPING vB ANANAS. N0.56 5,822.` "Patented Aug.11,18 96.

I M Mraz/15,

l UNITED STATES 'PATENTy OFFICE.

oTIS ANDREWS, oEEI. rAso, TEXAS.`

CRATE FOR SHIPPING BANANAS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 565,822, dated August 1 1, 1896.

Application filed May 14, 1896. Serial No. 591,463. (No model.) I

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, OT1SANDREWs,a citizen of the United States,and a resident'of El Paso, in the county of El Paso and State of Texas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Crates for Shipping Bananas; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, which will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specication.

My invention relates to crates for transporting bananas, so that there will be no liability of the fruit being injured in transit.

As is well known to those familiar with handling bananas, they are shipped in bunches, which are piled up indiscriminately upon one another, whereby great numbers of them are injured.

rlhe object of my invention is to provide an improved crate for transmitting bananas, whereby the bunches are kept separate, thereby avoiding crushing the fruit, and also allowing of a thorough ventilation, which tends to prevent decay.

The invention consists in the novel construction and combination of parts hereinafter fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings7 Figure lis a side elevation of a banana-crate constructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same. Fig. 3 is a horizontal section on the line a; at, Fig. l.

In the said drawings the reference-num erals 1 and 2 designate the top and bottom of ,the crate, each consisting of a semicircular outer l block and a semicircular inner block 3 of a economical. v `lining is dispensed with and the air allowed to the inner edges of the vertical slats, are curved or segmental sheets of wire cloth or netting 5.

Secured to one of the outer blocks of the head or top of the crate is a plate 5', the free end of which extends over and beyond the inner edge of the opposite block. At each side of the said plate the meeting edges of both the outer and inner blocks are formed with semicircular grooves 6, which, when the crate is closed, form circular apertures for the passage of a cord 7, which engages over the Said plate and extends into the crate, and from whicha bunch of bananas is suspended.

The numeral 8 designates a clasp secured to one of the sections, which engages with a catch 9 on the other section, and these lock the two sections together when closed.

In using the crate the sections are opened and a bunch of bananas is placed therein and held in position by the cord, which is tied thereto, and which passes over the plate secured to the head or top of the crate. By this means the bunches of bananas are separated from each other, so as to avoid injury by crushing, and a perfect ventilation is effected through the meshes of the wire-netting, allowing the air to circulate freely through the bunch.

In cold weather I wrap the bunches of bananas with cloth, paper, burlap, blanketing, gunny-sack, or other similar material to prevent the fruit from freezing; or the said material maybe tacked to the inside of the crate, as shown by the full lines 10, Fig. 3, which will be found more convenient and In warm weather the cloth or a free circulation through the fruit.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim is In a banana-crate, the combination with the two hinged sections each comprising the top and bottom, inner and outer blocks of differential radii, the vertical slats and the segmental or curved sheets of Wire-netting, secured to the inner blocks and to the inner edges of the said slats7 and the blocks comprising the top being formed with grooves in their meeting edges, of the plate secured to one of the blocks of the said top and project- IOO ing over the other block and adapted to be my oWn I have hereunto affixed my signature engaged by a string or oord passing around n presence of two Witnesses. the same and extending through said holes into the crate, and from which a bunch of O'IIS ANDREWS. 5 bananas is suspended; substantially as de- Witnesses:

scribed. G. D. FEARY,

In testimony that I elainl the foregoing as I. MUSSELL. 

